Articulation for a closure device for receptacles of pliable material



Febl l, 1941. I HALLOQK 2,230,223

ARTICULATION FOR A CLOSURE DEVICE FOR RECEPTACLES OF PLIABLE MATERIAL Filed April 12, 1939 INVENTOR )(Ji. )Lcnllirck BY Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATET ARTICULATION FOR A CLOSURE DEVICE FOR RECEPTACLES F PLIABLE MATE- RIAL Application April 12, 1939, Serial No. 267,424

2 Claims.

My invention relates to closures for receptacles of pliable materials, such as bags, purses, etc., which will yieldingly lock self in a closed and open position.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive joint which may be used in conjunction with frames of resilient or rigid type, suitable for receptacles of the type referred to.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receptacle closure, the locking of the open and closed position of which does not have to depend on the resiliency of the frame members alone.

In the appended drawing, forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary edge view of the left end of a frame embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section of the right end of the frame on line 22, Figure 5.

Figure 3 is a top edge view of the right end of the frame, showing it in open position, and

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary side elevations of the left and right side of the frame respectively.

Referring to the drawing, I5, I5 are the side members of the frame which in normal or closed position, are juxtaposed. These members are to be covered by a flexible material not shown, of which the receptacle is to be made.

The proximate ends of the frame members are provided with a joint having an angular movement which is adapted to yield laterally, that is, in the direction of the angular movement. The joint consists of a male plate I5 and a female plate II, each secured to a respective proximate end of the frame members I5. The plate I6 has a hook I8 formed of a riser disposed angularly to the plate and an extension from the riser running toward the end of the plate. The hook is preferably flexible laterally, but not necessarily.

The hook I8 passes through an aperture I9 formed in the plate II.

To each side of the hook I8, plate I6 has yielding fingers 20 deflected towards the plate H. The ends 2I of the fingers 28 are bent at an angle, so that the extremities thereof are substantially in alignment with the end of the hook I8. The plate I'I beyond the member I5 to which it is secured, is deflected toward the other plate to bear with its transverse edge 22, against the fingers 20 at the bent ends 2|, in a closed position of the frame. The bent ends 2| of the fingers 20 prevent the unhooking of the plate I! from the plate I6. If desired, the plates may be entirely of resilient material.

In mounting the joints on the frame members,

the opposite ends of same frame members are preferably provided with different type of plates, that is to say, if one end of the frame member is provided with a male plate I6, then the opposite end of the same frame member is provided with 5 a female plate II. This is to facilitate the assembling of the frame.

With a resilient type of frame members I5, in opening the frame a pull is exerted laterally on the members I5, causing plates II to turn on the 10 hooks I8 of plates It as a fulcrum.

As the plates I8 and I! of the same joint are moved angularly, in opening the frame, the transverse edge 22 of the female plate II in each joint, while travelling from the bent ends 2| of the 15 fingers 20 toward the hook I8 deflects laterally the fingers 28 and the hook I8 of same plate I6 in opposite directions. This lateral deflection of the fingers and the hook by the turning movement of the portion of the plates I1 en- 20 gaged between the hook and the fingers increases the pressure by the hook and the fingers on that portion. When said portion of the plate I'I passes the dead center between the hook and the fingers it will snap under that increased pressure exerted 25 by the hook and the fingers forcing the plate H to snap against the base of the hook I8 into the position shown in Figure 3, that is the open position of the frame. In this position, the plate I1 is yieldingly locked by the fingers 20 and the 30 hook I8, as they normally exert pressure on the portion of the plate I! engaged therebetween.

In moving the frame members I5 from open to closed position, the action is in reverse order to that described, that is to say, in passing the dead 35 center between the hook I8 and the fingers 28, the plate I! will snap to bring the frame members I5 in juxtaposed position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and bringing the transverse edge 22 of plate IT in proximity of the bent ends 2I of fingers 20, 40 where it will be held yieldingly locked, due to the pressure exerted on the portion of the plate I'I engaged between the hook I8 and the fingers 28.

In other words, in both positions, open or closed, the joint is yieldingly locked and requires 4 an effort independent of the frame members for the open or closed position of the frame. It is evident that the opening of the frame shortens the distance between the joints, and in consequence the members I5, if of resilient material, 50 will be bowed and form the opening defined by the members I5. In closing the opening formed by the frame members, pressure is applied to the said members I5 preferably in proximity of the joints thereof. 56

From the above description it will be seen that the type of articulation described form a pintleless hinge in which there are two juxtaposed parts normally tending to yieldingly resist angular movement between said parts and adapted to lock said parts in predetermined angular positions.

I claim:

1. An articulation for a closure device comprising two juxtaposed frame members connected at the proximate ends by a pintleless joint, each joint comprising a male portion having yielding fingers and a hook positioned between the fingers and deflected from the plane of the fingers, the fingers being adapted. to fiex laterally, said hook being formed by a riser disposed angularly to the male portion and an extension from the riser running toward the end of the fingers, each of said fingers having a bent portion at the end thereof directed toward the extension so that the edges of the bent portion of the fingers are substantially in alignment with the end of the extension in open or closed position of the articulation and a female portion having an aperture through Which the hook passes and whereby the male and female portions are prevented from separating, said female part bearing with its free end on the fingers of the male part in all angular positions of the joint when the female portion is moved from the bent portions of the fingers to the base of the hook and vice versa as the articulation is opened or closed respectively.

2. A pintleless articulation for a closure device comprising two juxtaposed frame members providing a part at a proximate end of a. frame member and formed thereat with yielding fingers, and a hook between the fingers formed of a riser disposed angularly to the part and an extension from the riser disposed angularly to the riser and running toward the end of the fingers, said hook and fingers extending beyond the frame member, said fingers being adapted to flex laterally, each of the fingers having the ends thereof bent toward the extension so that the ends of the bent portion of the fingers substantially align with the end of the extension in open or closed position of the articulation, said extension and fingers forming a substantially enclosed space between said fingers and tongue on said part, a second part at the proximate end of the other frame member and having an aperture through which the extension projects so that a section of said second part is engaged between the hook and the fingers at all positions of the articulation, said hook and fingers being adapted to yieldingly lock the second part when its end is either at the base of the extension or at the bent portion of the fingers.

HAROLD H. HALLOCK. 

